Ice cracks
by Ankhasia Riddle
Summary: Russia finds out what the nations think he does to the Baltics. He doesn't kill them, no. He is very upset, and Latvia feels guilty for not saying something sooner. RussLat. T for language.
1. Chapter 1

**I wrote this because, well, sort of wanted to portray Russia as someone nice. Startled Boris helped that.**

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><p>"Woah, Russia, dude, what happened to Latvia's face?"<p>

Russia giggled, and Latvia blushed. Latvia had been, well, up to something in his room, and Russia had walked in without knocking, startling the smaller nation, causing him to jump, trip over, and bash his face nastily on the side of his bed, hence the bruise along the left side of his face.

"He, uh, tripped." Russia chuckled. He didn't know just how evil his laugh had seemed to all surrounding nations.

Latvia looked down and nodded.

Russia looked away and tried not to laugh out loud, when something hit his cheek and sent him sprawling on the floor.

"You sick bastard."

America had slapped him.

"You twisted little fuck. You think we don't know what you get up to in your house? You fucking monster."

America leaned close to Russia, disgust all over his features. Russia scrambled up and faced him.

"What are you talking about America? I startled Latvia; he tripped, and fell on the side of his bed."

America shook his head. "Don't hide it, we all know how you torture the Baltics you little shit."

Russia looked around, and it wasn't those words, those dreadful words that brought the sting of tears to his eyes, but the fact every other nation minus his dear, dear Baltics, was glaring at him with the same distaste as America.

_They really think that of me?_

He did not hear the protest Latvia gave, how Estonia and Lithuania swore he never actually hurt them, but instead he bowed his head to the world, and let the tears flow down his cheeks.

He felt a hand on his left shoulder, but then every word America said came back to him, and he saw all their eyes glaring through him, and he shrugged it off, and ran from the building, a sob escaping him.

A while later he looked up, to find himself in an unfamiliar place. A blizzard was raging around him, whipping his hair and cutting at his cheeks, and he could not see his hand when he reached out to feel around him.

Russia shivered, and wrapped his coat tighter around himself. Oblivious to the fact he was standing on a frozen lake littered with patches of black ice, he took a step forward in what he thought was the right direction.

CRACK.

The ice beneath him gave way, and he fell into the freezing water, the cold like a knife on his skin, and he flailed, trying to find a hold on the ice, but it came off in his hand, and he sank beneath the surface, his coat weighing him down causing him to sink like a stone to the bottom.

He tried to swim upwards, but the combination of his clothes and the memories of what America had said fought against his feeble attempts.

"…_little shit…"_

_I should give up._

Russia was helpless.

_If that is all they think I should give up._

He gave up, let himself sink. Closed his eyes, and inhaled the icy water, not reacting as it pierced his body.

Russia had already blacked out before the shadow on the ice appeared, so naturally he did not hear the shout of alarm, see other shadows appear, and the splash of someone diving beneath the ice.

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><p><strong>Review this please. I will continue it.<strong>

**...Although flames will be used to stoke your funeral pyre.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Acknowlegements next chap XD**

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><p>Voices, murmuring.<p>

Perhaps a bit louder than murmuring.

Ivan stirred, and slowly opened his eyes, vision blurry for a second,, and he blinked away sleep.

"_You should have kept your stupid mouth shut!"_

A shout echoed through the house, and frowning, Ivan tried to sit up, but fell back on himself.

_Still weak…_

Then he remembered.

_Oh…_

Closing his eyes for a second, tears found a way under his eyelids and leaked down his cheeks, glittering like diamonds.

_Why? How could they think I would ever…?_

Once again their voices were in his vision, taunting, horrified.

_Germany never harmed Italy, so why would they think I ever hurt…my Baltics…_

All the times, Russia remembered, when the Baltics had ever shown fear.

They had shivered in front of him.

Shivered.

Ivan's features were filled with pity.

_Even they think I would…_

Once again he tried to sit up, and succeeded, a horrible pain in his chest almost putting him back on the bed.

He remembered losing himself in the blizzard.

_I must have got lost._

His fragile mind, cracked, like the ice that broke beneath him, was close to shattering completely.

One question bothered the large nation, however.

_Who saved me?_

As the thought came to him not one face he brought to mind would fit the image.

_They all hate me…_

More tears fell down his ice-pale cheeks, their touch like a furnace, burning him.

Footsteps came up the stairs, many footsteps, and Ivan heard their owners stumble upon realising he had awoken.

"I thought I heard…"

…

Latvia ran past the others, England, Estonia and Lithuania following and a stone-like glare at America sat him back down at the table.

Raivis was sure, adamant he heard movement upstairs, and as he reached the top he saw Russia.

Latvia's voice trailed off as he took in a sight that broke his heart.

"I thought I heard…"

Russia, _his_ Russia, that had taken him in even when the great nation himself was suffering under Stalin, had been crying.

_Was_ crying. Now.

Russia was _not_ allowed to cry. Ivan should only smile.

Latvia started toward Russia, but his voice cut him dead.

"Don't come closer."

"Russia…?" Latvia whispered.

Ivan looked directly at Latvia.

"I know what you think of me. I know what all of you think I would do, and I wouldn't. I would never, but how can I prove it to you when you've already made up your minds?"

England gently pushed past Latvia, and knelt before Russia.

"Russia, words can't express how I…I can't believe I even thought…Latvia told us, told us, told us all."

Russia frowned, his face softening slightly.

"Latvia told you what?"

"The truth."

England leaned forward, and Latvia watched ad Ivan's eyes glittered like polished amethysts. He felt Estonia and Lithuania stand at his side.

Ivan's voice trembled as he spoke.

"What did he say?"

Slowly, England took Russia's hands and held them gently.

"That you are kind, caring, loyal, strong, and amazing mentor and an _incredible_ friend."

Latvia was gripped by the heart as tears fell like snowflakes on Russia's icy cheeks, and his eyes, so full of sadness, looked into Raivis's.

"Y-You said that?" Russia whispered.

Speechless, Latvia nodded, tears of his own tracing a frozen river on his face.

Latvia barely registered that England quietly got up and took Toris and Eduard downstairs, he only saw the blurred figure of Russia, two deep purple stars glowing high above his own.

"Russia…" Raivis was filled with a bittersweet feeling, an emotion so beautiful and so sad that he thought he would die of it.

Ivan took his arms and wrapped them around Latvia tightly, but not too tightly that he would hurt him.

It was with a gentleness that destroyed Latvia.

"I didn't tell them before."

"Hush." Ivan didn't care.

"I'm sorry…"

Ivan looked sharply at Latvia, offence written all over his features.

"Nyet," he said "You never say that to me. Never."

They embraced again, and Ivan took Raivis's hand.

"Russia…I love you."

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><p><strong>Review?<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Ok! Acknowlegements go to...*takes very deep breath***

**SullyWullybunny, pengirl100and2, Startled Boris, Thousnelda, NanimiLie, MoyoNyt, Happily Austria, Resm, Little-Bloody-Thing, 10wolves, Bookboy42, Ejo97, DerpWillSaveTheDay for reviewing!**

**10wolves(again!), daughterofDionysus, Little-Bloody-Thing(again!), MoyoNyt(again!), NanimiLie(again!), Nefia Bakura, pengirl100and2(again!), Resm(again!), Startled Boris(again!), SullyWullybunny(again!), ThatPurplyThing, The-Charcoal-Alchemist, xxXChiBiXxx for alerting!**

**10wolves(again!), Blaze808, Bookboy42(again!), daughterofDionysus(again!), EmoLollipop, Joop van Zelder, MoyoNyt(again!), NanimiLie(again!), SecretNinja17, and of course, ye olde Startled Boris(again!)**

**Special thanks to Startled Boris for inspiring me to write this. Go read her stuff! It's epic! I recommend the Baltics Secrets series! Yeh XD**

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><p>"<em>Russia…I love you."<em>

A whisper in Ivan's ear, so quiet that Ivan thought he could have imagined it, but looking at the face below him, all doubt was erased.

Russia gently kissed the small nation on his forehead and whispered back those three damning words.

After a few minutes Latvia looked up at Russia.

"Will you come downstairs?"

Russia looked away.

"Who is there?" he asked hesitantly.

Reassuringly, Latvia smiled up at him. "Everyone," he said, "They all want to apologise. Even, especially, America."

Russia sat down on the bed, and sighed.

"I don't know if I can face him. Not after…" Self consciously, he touched his cheek.

Smiling again, Latvia sat down next to Ivan, and shoved him gently.

"Of course you can. You're Russia!" he said, openly grinning.

…

When they walked down everyone began talking all at once to Latvia, an endless babble of questions and apologies bubbling out from the crowd, until they noticed Russia behind, and silence fell instantly.

Latvia continued to walk further into the room, and Russia stood still for a second, slowly looking around, a tragic look that portrayed lost innocence in his eyes.

Slowly, to everyone's surprise, America moved first. He stood before the Russian, unable to speak.

"I-I can't…"

Subconsciously, he touched his own cheek, looking at the mark on Ivan's face, remembering the feel of the man's icy skin against the back of his hand.

"You don't know how much I…"

Since Latvia had shouted at them, face screwed up in such anger that no-one could move, America had seen only one solution. After all, he was the one who hit Russia.

Tears ran down Alfred's cheeks, almost bringing him to insanity. The silence was killing him, and all the while Russia just stood and stared like a broken child at America, one question in his face.

Why?

"I-I-I…I'm so sorry…"

The words had finally come out, but Alfred felt no better. He still felt like shooting himself in the head.

Like Latvia said he should.

Then, Ivan simply smiled, and placed a hand on the American's shoulder.

"Comrade," he whispered, "it is alright. The truth is out now."

Alfred nodded, and stepped back, smiling and crying at the same time.

China then stepped forward. He, too, was speechless, but once America had done it, it was easier for the rest to join him.

"I'm sorry, aru." He said, looking, with difficulty, into those eyes that swallowed you up in a storm of swirling purple.

As the rest of the nations took their turn to apologise, Latvia watched and smiled, happy that finally they all knew. Raivis knew for sure that he would no longer be the quiet Latvia all the others knew.

Eventually they all returned to a circle, all facing Russia.

"So comrades," He said, quite loudly, shattering the silence that had once again gathered like mist on the world, "As it is winter, how about a snowball fight?"

For a second everyone thought he had completely lost his mind, but then realised he wanted to release the horrible tension that had grip on him and everyone else.

In a clatter of noise, everyone rushed outside, laughing, friends, Latvia and Russia hand in hand, and Russia smiled.

He felt the cracks within himself melt into nothingness.

He was healed.

Better than healed, he was shining.

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><p><strong>Oh my days! I completed somthing with more than one chapter!<strong>

**...Review?**

**Flames, go on your funeral pyre.**

**Flames, are nasty reviews. Ones that are harsh critisism for no reason. For the one person that did not know XD**


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